Friday

The Shores Resort & Spa

Accommodations span a large spectrum on Daytona Beach — from rustic campgrounds and casual one-of-a-kind motels to popular chain motels and luxury vacation suites.

If you’re drawn to the perks of a luxury beach hotel (saltwater pool, spa, kid’s amenities), check into The Shores Resort & Spa, a 4-diamond property on the beach. Each of the 212 rooms has a view of the ocean, the beach, or the Intracoastal.

There’s plenty of Floridian charm to be had in charming nearby New Smyrna Beach, particularly at the Black Dolphin Inn, a 14-room Spanish-Isle charmer crafted with old Florida wood and filled with mid-century decor. Top off your morning coffee with a locally sourced breakfast in the sunny dining nook before heading off for a back-country fishing excursion with BlackFly on the Indian River in Mosquito Lagoon.

The Garlic

When cold beers and fish tacos call, head to The Taco Shack, a locally owned and operated surf-themed taqueria where booths and burritos are in high demand.

Driving is permitted on specified areas of the hard-packed sandy beaches of Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach — a rarity in Florida. Pay the ten-dollar permit fee (with a maximum speed of 10 mph, windows down, lights on and no texting, please,) and take in the ocean breeze. If you’re toting kids, take them to meet the locals (turtles, stingrays, manatees) at the Marine Science Center. Or hit up Three Brothers Paddleboards for SUP jaunts on the backwater estuaries on beautifully handcrafted woodies inspired by the classic surfboards of the 1950s and ‘60s.

Ponce de Leon Inlet lighthouse

All that sun and sand can build up an appetite. Big bowls of mussels and cioppino are calling from a table under the arbor at The Garlic, a kitschy Italian joint where meatballs are called bocce balls (and are about the same size).

Along with 23 miles of white sand beaches you’ll find a striking, iconic watermark: the historic Ponce de Leon Inlet lighthouse. If your travel schedule and the lunar calendar align for Climb to the Moon, you’ll be treated to sparkling beverages, light bites, and a panorama of the coast under the light of a full moon.

Saturday

Cici & Hyatt Brown Museum of Art

Workout the arms and calm the mind with a morning kayaking adventure on the Tomoka River. While there, soak up the history of local Native American tribes at Tomoka State Park.

Fill up on good coffee, omelettes and apple fritters like the locals do at the upbeat Cracked Egg Diner. The sunny breakfast outpost is run by two brothers who make customers – and tasty foods – a priority.

Sunday

Just outside Downtown DeLand in DeLeon Springs State Park you’ll find the oh-so-popular Old Spanish Mill Restaurant, where diners can cook pancakes right at their table. Explore the miles of trails on-site, and see manatees, alligators, and an amazing variety of birds.

For a brisk round of golf, the area provides more than 20 opportunities to hone your skills. LPGA International offers two 18-hole championship courses, and nearby Victoria Hills has rolling hills, sand obstacles, and pine tree-lined fairways that look more like the Carolinas than the Floridian-style courses.

Before catching your flight, make a pitstop at Hull’s Seafood, a wholesale and to-go shop with daily lunch specials, fish platters, soups, salads, and steamed shellfish. Finish off with a hushpuppy and slice of Floridian key lime pie.

Book seats now for JetBlue nonstop service from JFK to Daytona Beach starting January 7, 2016.